Tuesday, February 28, 2017

ALOHA!! Did you know that the state of Hawaii is made up of 8 main islands? Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe and the Big Island of Hawaii. That’s a lot of islands to choose from…..which one do you spend your vacation on? Selecting the best one to visit can be a daunting task for first time visitors. (Just so you know you honestly can’t go wrong with any of them.)

Here are some highlights of 4 of the most visited Hawaiian islands to help you choose:

Oahu (The Gathering Place) is the most visited of all the islands. Oahu has the state capital of Honolulu, Pearl Harbor, and the famous Waikiki Beach. Oahu has an amazing climate, inexpensive lodging, a large variety of shopping, a gorgeous mountain range and 3 of the islands best beaches. The famous north shore is a surfers paradise. This island sees about 4.7 million visitors each year.

Maui (The Valley Isle) is the second most visited island. Maui is often called "The Playground of the Wealthy". Maui caters to those looking for more expensive accommodations and privacy. With that being said Maui does have a very wide variety of resorts, hotels, condos, and private rentals available across the island. But don't worry if high priced accommodations aren't in your budget, Maui caters to all types of budgets. Maui features many spectacular beaches, volcanoes in the center of the island, waterfalls in numerous valleys, Hana Highway and lush green land to enjoy lots of outdoor adventures. Maui sees about 2.4 million visitors each year.

Hawaii (The Big Island) is the third most popular island for visitors. Many of the Big Island visitors say that the Kailua-Kona area has the most fantastic weather, abundant shopping, and loads of dining options. It also provides a wide selection of accommodations from high end resorts to condominiums. The Big Island features crystal clear waters that provide amazing snorkeling and diving opportunities, terrific beaches, several luxury accommodations and Hilo and the Puna region which house the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The Big Island sees approximately 1.6 visitors each year. (I bet this number surprises you since it is the biggest island of them all. You would think there would be more visitors)

Kauai (The Garden Island) is the fourth most visited island. The island has more coastline filled with beaches than any other island in the chain. Kauai features beautiful mountain scenery, a variety of hidden beaches, incredible shopping and dining, Hanalei Bay, an abundance of sunshine, and Waimea Canyon (which Mark Twain dubbed it "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific"). Kauai sees 1.3 million visitors each year.

If Hawaii is your next travel destination and you still need some help deciding please give me a call and I would be happy to help you share with you about other islands in the chain that may be the best fit for you and your vacation.

Thursday, February 9, 2017

Generally speaking, the short answer is yes. The long answer goes like this:

Be Smart - don’t get all liquored up at the swim up bar and then venture downtown. In short, if you wouldn’t do it at home, don’t try it abroad.

Be Calculated - know who your friends are and where they are. If you want to go out, be sure to have the front desk call a reputable taxi for you and once you arrive at your destination, agree upon a meeting time and place for a seamless pickup and return.

Be Aware - always know your surroundings and stay close to travel buddies in busy crowded areas. Pick-pocketers and other scammers lurk in crowds.

Be Prepared - do have enough money to get around with and don’t forget to tip, especially your friendly taxi driver who got you safely from point A to B.

Be Nice - this seems so simple but it goes a long way regardless of which country you are in

Be Happy - if you spent money to stay inside of the pearly gates of your all inclusive compound, do just that. All inclusives are designed to keep you busy with bars, pools, games of beach volleyball, tennis and even lawn chess not to mention the water sports and evening entertainment.

Be Proactive; check the US travel warnings before you depart so you know of any specific threats or things to watch for.

Be Protected by enrolling yourself and itinerary in the STEP program. This will ensure if any threats or in climate weather delay your travels or put you out of contact, your family will still know your whereabouts, as will the US Government. WWW.STEP.STATE.GOV

For more information on this or any other topic please give me a call. I look forward to talking with you.